Spurv ~ Skarntyde

Norwegian post-rock band Spurv (Sparrow) admits that “four songs in 45 minutes isn’t the average everyday radio music.” But it is what fans hope to encounter in post-rock: make-or-break, risk-taking ventures that soothe and stir in equal measure.

Skarntyde (Danish for “hemlock”) is no suicide venture. Instead, it’s a stable set three years in the making. While steering clear of any restrictive definitions, the band does mention that the album is about “life and death (and) the fragility of nature.” This may seem a surprise coming from one of the happiest countries in the world, but the nation has seen its share of violence and strife. As a result, her residents are in a state of reassessment: has the happiness come at a cost? Are unseen fissures threatening the unity of the nation?

Spurv paints in broad strokes, providing ample room for thought, for the mind to drift or to…